Good deed at Christmas highlights Croatian pensioners daily struggle

Many pensioners across Croatia will struggle this Christmas period with paying the household bills let alone stocking the fridge for the festive table. Due to awfully low pensions the older generation of the country will find it hard to make ends meet this Christmas.

One good deed highlighted the serious problem Croatia’s pensioners face. The city of Umag have decided to help their pensioners with a cash windfall, meaning many of those with low incomes will at least be able to survive this Christmas.

"We appreciate the contribution of our pensioners and we understand their needs, so we have decided that all those with income of up to 800 Kuna we will help with a payment of 4,200 Kuna, whilst those with a pension of up to 1,100 Kuna, we can help with 3,000 Kuna," said the Mayor of Umag, Vili Bassanese.

Whilst this news and this action is indeed well meant it also helps to highlight the monthly struggle of many of the “grey generation” in Croatia. As one reader commented “Small communities with good tax revenues should take more care of societies. It is incredible to me how someone can live with a salary of less than four to five thousand Kuna per month?”